Images and video of the damage sustained by the Bonhomme Richard have surfaced on the internet. The ship caught fire alongside at San Diego. The fire was called away at 8:30 a.m. Sunday.
A Navy representative has verified the authenticity of these images.
CNO Gilday called the burning of the ship “a gut punch” for its crew, but said they are being looked after. “The names of those ships mean something to those sailors,” Gilday said. “This is their home. This is where they would fight from.”
Related: Bonhomme Richard Fires out
It is unclear if the ship will sail again. Gilday said the defense industry could make Bonhomme Richard seaworthy again, but that it may not be worth the cost.